MANY A
TERROR PLOT FOILED DUE TO INDIA-US.COOPERATION-WHITE
HOUSE
Describing the counter—terrorism cooperation between
India and the United States under the eight years of Barack Obama
administration as “incredibly successful”, a top U.S. official has said this
has not only “diminished the threat” of terrorism in the two countries, but
also foiled several terror plots.“I can tell you quite definitively that due to our partnerships,
several terrorism plots were foiled. Indian lives and American lives
were saved because of this partnership,” said Peter Lavoy, Senior Director for
South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council, White House. “So it’s a
very significant development and I think, it can continue,” Mr. Lavoy told
On India not becoming a member of
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) under the watch of U.S. President Barack Obama,
Mr. Lavoy expressed hope that it would be granted membership of the elite group
“not before too long” as work is in progress.“So, are we disappointed that
India has not become a member [of NSG] so far? Yes, probably. But we also
recognise that the NSG has to work through the procedures and its own other
standings on how to consider non-NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] membership into
the NSG,” he said.
Mr. Lavoy said: “I think that for the
NSG the prospect of admitting a new member that is not a party to the NPT is a
very, very big deal. One of the requirements for membership is to be a member
of the NPT.”The NSG over the last year has been undertaking a very, very
intensive process to continue procedures for many non-NPT members such as
India, he added.“The U.S. government, President Obama have been very clear that
India is ready for membership now and we believe that India’s admission into
NSG as a full regular member will be important and benefit the group and would
also strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime,” Mr. Lavoy said.“So,
that’s not a trivial issue. But we would hope that there India would be granted
membership not before too long,” he said answering a question on India being
unable to become a member of NSG mainly due to the opposition from China.
He said that under the Obama
administration, which took over the reins of the country a few months after
26/11, counter-terrorism cooperation between the two countries have reached a
new height in the last eight years.“I think, the partnership with India, in
combating terrorism has really been incredibly successful,” he said, adding
that the two countries now have dialogues on counter-terrorism at multiple
levels.
Mr. Lavoy said the U.S. was concerned
about the al-Qaeda, though the outfit’s activities in the Af-Pak region have
been significantly disrupted because of continuous efforts.“We [also] remain
concerned about ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, another acronym for
the Islamic State (IS)]. This is something that President Obama has talked
about in his State of the Union and other addresses on the threat that both of
these groups pose to the U.S.And we would continue to take steps to counter
them. We expect that those policies would continue. This is bipartisan in the
vital interest to the United States,” he said, adding that cooperation on counter-terrorism
issues “diminished the threat” to the two countries and was of incredible
importance.
“I
would highlight that U.S.-India consultations about terrorist threats not only
that are against India or the United States but throughout the region is an
important hallmark and feature of our new and expanded counter-terrorism
cooperation,” Mr. Lavoy said. He also said the U.S. did think that “any
regional dialogue between India, Pakistan for including Afghanistan and others
to counter terrorism would be desirable.”“Terrorism is a threat to all of us
and no country will be safe, unless terrorism is irradiated in every other
country, especially in the neighbourhood,” Mr. Lavoy said. “It’s clear to all
that many terrorist groups operate in Pakistan. The Pakistani government and
the Pakistani security apparatus confronts and fights and is trying to diminish
terrorist strengths in Pakistan.But clearly Pakistani government has
prioritised its fight against the groups that target Pakistan first and has
placed less priority on the terrorist groups that target Pakistan’s
neighbours,” Mr. Lavoy said.
“We have been clear to Pakistan and I
believe [so] has India and Afghanistan, Pakistan’s other neighbour, that
Pakistan cannot, should not, must not discriminate between terrorist groups. It
must view all terrorist groups as its enemy and must fight all terrorism
indiscriminately,” the top official said. “We continue to work with Pakistan,
encourage them to do so, and have offered to help with our capacity and
willingness to do so.”Mr. Lavoy said the U.S. declaring India as a major
defence partner was a sign of success of India-U.S. partnership over the course
of this administration.
Referring to three visits of U.S.
Defence Secretary Ashton Carter to India, he has said this underscores
America’s commitment to elevate the defence cooperation with India even at this
time of transition.“In 2016, U.S. and India conducted six major military
exercises and defence trade with India has grown to over $15 billion over the
course of the Administration. No matter what indicator you identify, it truly
has the feature of a major defence partnership,” Mr. Lavoy said.Having Major
Defence Partner title, what will be realised is that the efforts under the
defence trade and technology initiatives (DTTI) much cooperation has begun, and
efforts have been made on both sides in co-developing, in developing together
new defence technologies including very advanced technologies, the applications
of which will be evident in the years to come, he said.I think you will see
that the seeds planted over the course of last eight years which have
materialised in very noticeable ways also will continue to materialise in ways
that will be apparent in the years to come,” Mr. Lavoy observed.
Prof. John Kurakar
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